Release Detail

April 18, 1998 - Connecticut Voters Back Doctor Assisted Suicide 2-1,
Quinnipiac College Poll Finds;
But Few Want Any Help When It's Their Own Time To Go

Connecticut voters support more than 2 -1 a proposal allowing doctor assisted suicide,
according to a Quinnipiac College Poll released today.

When half of the 1,014 voters surveyed (Split Sample A) was asked if they favor a
proposition to "allow doctors to help a patient end his or her life," support is 67 - 30 percent.

When the other half (Split Sample B) was asked the same question, using the phrase,
"allow doctors to help a patient commit suicide," the results were 67 - 27 percent.

The Quinnipiac College Poll used the split sample technique to assure that answers
were not influenced by the use of the word "suicide."

The strongest support -- 90 percent -- is among those who never attend religious
services, and the weakest support -- 48 percent -- is among those who attend religious services
weekly. There is no measurable change in Samples A or B.

In Sample A, only 35 percent say they want doctor assisted suicide if they are
terminally ill, with six months to live, while 51 percent say no and 14 percent are undecided.
Sample B responses are statistically the same.

"Two thirds of Connecticut voters would support a law allowing doctor assisted
suicide, similar to the proposition passed in Oregon in 1994. And that support is strong, with
50 percent of the electorate saying they strongly favor it," said Quinnipiac College Poll
Director Douglas Schwartz. "Support decreases with religiosity, which we measured by
asking how often a person attends religious services.

"Support for doctor assisted suicide also drops significantly when people are asked
whether they themselves would request it if they were terminally ill and had only six months
to live.

"About a third of those, however, who said initially they would not ask for doctor
assisted suicide changed their minds when the hypothetical scenario also included that the
respondent was living in severe pain," Schwartz added.

Among voters who say they do not want doctor assisted suicide if they are terminally
ill, 35 percent say they would change their mind if they were in severe pain. Results in both
samples are identical.

If doctor assisted suicide were legal in Connecticut;
17 percent say most terminally ill people would want help ending their lives;
36 percent say some people would want help;
38 percent say only a few people would want help.

Among all Connecticut voters, 74 percent say they've had experience with terminal
illness involving a close friend or family member.

From March 24 - 30, Quinnipiac College surveyed 1,014 Connecticut residents who
say they are registered voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent. The
Quinnipiac College Poll conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey and
Connecticut as a public service and for research.

For additional data -- www.quinnipiac.edu

Robert Bazell, NBC's chief science correspondent, will moderate a debate on assisted
suicide between Dr. Bernie Siegel and attorney Geoffrey Fieger, who represents Dr. Jack
Kevorkian, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Monday, April 20, at a National Institute for
Community Health Education (NICHE) conference in the Quinnipiac College Athletic Center.
The debate is free and open to the public.

"I think we have two exceptional experts on assisted suicide whose views will surely
make for lively debate," said Joseph J. Woods, dean of the School of Health Sciences at
Quinnipiac College. "This debate is especially timely here in Connecticut where Kevorkian
recently assisted in the suicide of a 76-year-old Connecticut woman with Parkinson's disease."

Following the debate, Bazell, Fieger and Siegel will appear at a luncheon in Alumni
Hall. Admission to the luncheon is $20. Bazell will give the keynote speech, "The Role of the
Media in Disseminating Medical Information."

For more information on the debate and luncheon, please call 203-287-5326. NICHE is
an institute, established by Quinnipiac College, that draws upon the unique community of
health related organizations for the purpose of focusing national attention on health-related
issues.

Quinnipiac College is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational institution located in
Hamden, Connecticut. The college has approximately 230 full-time faculty and enrolls 3,500
full-time undergraduates and 2,000 graduate students in its Schools of Business, Health
Sciences, Law and Liberal Arts. Quinnipiac College is rated No. 11 among all northern
regional universities in U.S. News and World Report's 1998 edition of America's Best
Colleges.

46a.(Split sample A) In 1994, people in Oregon voted on a proposition that would
allow doctors to help a patient end his or her life if the patient is terminally
ill with less than 6 months to live, and the patient requests it. Doctors would
be allowed to prescribe a fatal dose of a drug for the patient if all of the
following conditions were met: The patient requests it 3 times. The doctor
informs the patient of all feasible alternatives. There is a second opinion from
another doctor. There is a 15 day waiting period for the patient to change his
or her mind. Would you favor or oppose such a law in Connecticut?
Would you (favor/oppose) it strongly or somewhat?

46b.(Split Sample B) In 1994, people in Oregon voted on a proposition that would
allow doctors to help a patient commit suicide if the patient is terminally ill
with less than 6 months to live, and the patient requests it. Doctors would be
allowed to prescribe a fatal dose of a drug for the patient if all of the
following conditions were met: The patient requests it 3 times. The doctor
informs the patient of all feasible alternatives. There is a second opinion from
another doctor. There is a 15 day waiting period for the patient to change his
or her mind. Would you favor or oppose such a law in Connecticut? Would you
(favor/oppose) it strongly or somewhat?

47a.(Split Sample A). If this became law in Connecticut, and you were diagnosed
with a terminal illness and had less than 6 months to live, do you think you
would probably ask a doctor to help you end your life, or not?

48a.(If no on 47A, Split Sample A) If this became law in Connecticut, and you
were diagnosed with a terminal illness and had less than 6 months to live and
were living in severe pain, do you think you would probably ask a doctor to help
you end your life, or not?

47b.(Split Sample B) If this became law in Connecticut, and you were diagnosed
with a terminal illness and had less than 6 months to live, do you think you
would probably ask a doctor to help you commit suicide, or not?

48b.(If no on 47b, Split Sample B) If this became law in Connecticut, and you
were diagnosed with a terminal illness and had less than 6 months to live and
were living in severe pain, do you think you would probably ask a doctor to help
you commit suicide, or not?

49a.(Split Sample A). If this became the law in Connecticut, how many people
who were terminally ill with less than 6 months to live do you think would ask a
doctor to help them end their lives? Most, some or only a few?

49b. (Split Sample B) If this became the law in Connecticut, how many people
who were terminally ill with less than 6 months to live do you think would ask
a doctor to help them commit suicide? Most, some or only a few?